KENYA – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) is set to mark its centenary celebration in style with the launch of a new company identity.

To this end, the alcohol drinks maker has introduced a competition dubbed KBL Still Got Skillz? for the design of a new company logo to mark its 100th birthday in 2022.

The competition is open to design artists from Kenya aged between 21 and 25 years and is intended to come up with a next-generation logo in commemoration for one of Kenya’s oldest companies as it marks its major milestone.

Artists have been invited to submit their artistic impressions of how a KBL logo would look like at the contest website from November 29th to December 10th, 2021. The submissions can be made by an individual or a group of up to four people.

The artists with the winning submission will win a cash prize of Ksh. 1 million and an opportunity to intern at J. Walter Thompson, a Scangroup creative agency. While at the agency, they will work with a team of experienced creative and advertising experts.

The second and third placed will each receive a cash prize of Ksh. 500,000 and Ksh. 250,000 respectively.

The top three designs will be selected by judges after a hackathon where the top 20 will refine their submissions under the guidance of experienced professionals in the design world.

Speaking at the launch of the competition, KBL Managing Director John Musunga said, “The challenge for the youth, those between 21 and 25, who are the eligible ones for this as they are not likely to be employed or experienced the tutelage of the masters of the craft, is to give KBL a modern logo that tells the world that KBL has been here for 100 years and it will be around for the next 100 years.”

On his part, East African Breweries Limited Corporate Relations Director Eric Kiniti noted the competition is a continuation of the work the company has done over the years with artists to grow its brands.

“We are not only happy that we have been around that long but that KBL has made an impact on Kenya, Kenyans and the world at large.

“KBL remains one of the significant contributors to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product, and we now contribute 1% of that and 5% of Kenya’s Budget,” said Mr Kiniti. 

A similar logo competition dubbed Got Skillz? in 2019 culminated in the design of a new logo for East African Breweries Plc, the holding company of which KBL is a subsidiary.

Elvis Otieno, who was a student at Multimedia University at the time won the competition and after an internship period, has built his career to become an Art Director at Scanad.

TBL, TANROADS launch buffer zones in Arusha

In Tanzania, Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) has partnered with the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) to launch six buffer zones in Arusha, which will be the first in Africa.

In essence these buffer zones are designed to separate cars and motorcycles once the traffic lights open.

They will be in areas where there is a significant number of road traffic accidents and fatalities involving motorcyclists and busy intersections used by a high number of motorcyclists and pedestrians.

The launch of the buffer zone is a continuation of TBL’s road safety awareness campaign in Tanzania.

Recently, the company in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), launched a road safety app, Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit for use by Tanzania’s Traffic Police to boost road safety awareness.

Both road safety campaigns are aimed to achieve the goal of sustainable cities and communities and are part of TBL’s commitment to supporting efforts by the government to provide education on the misuse and responsible consumption of alcohol while also advocating for effective policies, programs, and partnerships with relevant stakeholders in this regard.

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